For various reasons, it may be desirable to extend the effective length of a truck bed, such as for hauling a particularly long piece of cargo that would not fit in the bed with the tailgate in the raised position. In some cases, this is done by lowering the tailgate and placing a separate cage-like structure comprised of stacked, curved bars on it to help contain the cargo within the resulting extension created by the lowered tailgate. While effective, this arrangement requires using a large, separate component for placement on the lowered tailgate, which must be stored apart from the truck when not in use.
Thus, a need is identified for a bed extender that can be easily stowed when not in use, and capable of being readily deployed for extending the effective length of the bed in a sturdy and reliable manner.